Ryan Lochte Responds to Claims of Being Romantically Involved with Blair Evans

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LONDON, England, July 26. IN these TMZ days where every move is recorded for the public, it comes to no surprise that a quick conversation in the pool has led to people claiming that Ryan Lochte of the U.S. and Blair Evans of Australia have a deeper relationship. The Herald Sun even posted pictures claiming “extra electricity” between the two.

Lochte shot down those rumors while talking with the press today.

“I know [Blair], I've known her for a while,” Lochte said. “She's a good friend of mine and I haven't seen her in a year, so I was excited to see her. So those pictures that you guys got, it may have come off like that's my romance for the Olympics but it's not like that. It's a great friend that I'm just excited to see.”

The press also returned to the business at hand, asking Lochte if he's the best swimmer in the world.

“I'm the defending (world) champion from last year, but that was last year,” Lochte said. “I was the world's best swimmer, everyone said at the time, but I put myself down at the very bottom so that I have a goal to put myself back up to the very top.”